Mounting block for adjustable contact rod



Feb. 2, 1965 E. T. EBERHARD 3,168,633

MOUNTING BLOCK FOR ADJUSTABLE CONTACT ROD Filed Feb. 13. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E24 Q (i 1 224i Il -6/|l 6|k '3 O O o O O O INV EN TOR. [A M1?! TXEE/PA JKD BY 68 airmen/41 15m: firs/fizz Feb. 2, 1965 .1. EBERHARD 3,168,633

MOUNTING BLOCK FOR ADJUSTABLE CONTACT ROD Filed Feb. 15. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m- 4- may.

OJrEaLEMv, 2255; fizz {Jive/4 United States Patent 3,168,633 MGUNTING ELGCK FUR ADEUSTABLE CUNTACT ROD Elmer T. Eberhard, Glendale, Calih, assignor to I-T-E Circuit Breaker Company, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 83,859 Claims. (Cl. 200166) My invention relates to a method of securing the bayonet type contact of an oil circuit breaker to its cross bar and more specifically relates to a means for adjustably positioning and securing a bayonet type contact to its cross rod for easy alignment of the contact with its respective interrupter assembly.

Oil circuit breakers of the type to which the invention is directed are well known in the art wherein a movable bayonet type contact carried by a cross bar moves in to and out of engagement with respect to stationary contacts carried at the top of an interrupter chamber. Structures of this type are shown, for example, in copending application Serial No. 67,125, filed November 3, 1960, entitled Three Phase Oil Circuit Breaker, in the name of James R. McCloud and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

One of the most time consuming operations in assembling and maintaining this type of circuit breaker lies in properly aligning the movable bayonet type contacts with respect to their respective interrupters to insure that the movable contacts will properly enter their interrupters and penetrate or engage the stationary contacts contained within the interrupters. In the past, aroper alignment has been obtained by either expensive accurate machining of the parts to insure proper location of the interrupters carried from respective bushings or by providing slotted holes in the cross bar member which receives the bayonet contacts so that adjustment can be obtained.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide an adapter casting which is secured to the cross bar and receives the bayonet contacts where the adapter casting has a split eccentric threaded bushing therein which is rotatable to enable the contact to be moved within a plane which is perpendicular to the axis of the contact and the interrupter. Thus, appropriate alignment between the contact and the interrupter may be easily obtained.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to simplify the assembly and maintenance of oil circuit breakers using elongated movable contact rods which cooperate with elongated interrupter chambers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel securing structure for securing a movable contact rod to a cross bar to permit easy alignment of the contact and its interrupter chamber.

A further object of this invention is to provide a highly reliable and inexpensive structure for adjustably locating an elongated contact rod or bayonet type contact on its support.

These and other objects'of this invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a cross sectional view of three-phase oil circuit breaker having movable contact rods of the type to which the present invention is directed.

FIGURE 2 schematically illustrates a top view through the interrupter housings of the circuit breaker of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 shows one of the interrupters of FIGURE 1 with its casing partially broken away to illustrate the 3,lh8,633 Patented Feb. 2, 1965 manner in which the movable contact engages the stationary contacts within an interrupter structure.

FIGURE 4 shows a top view of the adapter structure of the present invention which adjustably mounts the elongated contact rod to an adaptor on the cross bar.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view of FIGURE 4 when taken across the lines 5-5 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a side plan view of one of the cross bars of FIGURES 1 through 5.

FIGURE 7 is a side plan view of the adapter of FIG- URE 4.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2, I have shown therein a three-phase oil circuit breaker of the type set forth in copending application Serial No. 67,125 noted above as well as in copending application filed February 13, 1961, Serial No. 88,829, entitled Bracing and Support Structure for Oil Circuit Breakers, in the name of James R. McCloud and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. For various details of this three-phase circuit breaker, reference is made to copending applications Serial No. 67,125 and Serial No. 88,829 which are incorporated as a part of the instant application. Generally, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the three-phase circuit breaker includes two interrupters in series for each phase. Thus, a first phase is formed of bushings 10 and 11 which are mounted to a top frame 12 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter, where bushings 10 and 11 carry interrupter housings 13 and 14 respectively at their inner ends. The manner in which interrupter structures 13 and 1.4 are constructed and connected to bushings 143 and 11 is set forth in detail in the above noted application Serial No. 67,125, as well as in copending application Serial No. 2,530, tiled January 4, 1960, and now abandoned, in the name of Earl B. Rietz, entitled Single Contact Interrupters, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

As is completely described in either of the above applications and as is well known to those skilled in the art, the interrupter structures 13 and 14 will carry stationary contacts therein which receive bayonet type contacts 15 and 16 which are connected to a. common conductive cross bar (not shown) whereby contacts 15 and 16 are connectexl in series. The interrupters 13 and 14 are further immersed in oil which is contained within the main tank portion 17 which has top frame 12 as its cover and is connected thereto through an annular gasket means contained in top frame 12.

The second and central phase of the interrupter includes bushings 18 and 19 which again are secured to top frame 12 and are terminated by interrupter structures 20 and 21 which are identical to interrupters 13 and 14. The interrupters 20 and 21 cooperate with movable bayonet type contacts 22 and 23 respectively which are carried by a conductive cross bar 24 which electrically connects contacts 22 and 23 in series.

The third phase, not shown in FIGURE 1, is schematically illustrated in FIGURE 2 as including bushings 25a and 25b which are similar to bushings 10 and 11 whereby the ends of bushings 25a and 25b carry interrupter structures 26 and 27 respectively which cooperate with contacts which are connected in series through a common conductive cross bar.

The bayonet type contacts such as contact 22 are secured to their cross bars, such as cross bar 24, in accordance with the present invention, as illustrated in FIG- URES 4 through 7.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 through 7, I have illustrated the manner in which bayonet type contact 22 is secured to the cross bar 24 of FIGURE 1. The cross bar 24 of FIGURE 1 is more specifically seen in FIG- URES 4 and 5 as being comprised of a first and second elongated rod 24:1. and 2% respectively. Cross bar 2% is'best shown in plan view in FIGURE 6 and has elongated slots 100 and 191 in its left-hand end and elongated slots 192 and 103 at its right-hand end. The left-hand end of the cross bar is shown in FIGURE 4 to illustrate how the cross bars receive contact 22 in accordance with the present invention.

As shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 7 and in accordance with the present invention, an adaptive block 1514 is provided which, as seen in FIGURE 7, has central notches 1&5 and 106, which notches receive the bolt means 1 327 and 1% of FIGURE 4 and are terminated and secured in position by nuts 1u9 and 11 respectively. The adaptor block 104 may be made of aluminum and as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 has a central threaded opening 111 which receives a conductive threaded insert Block 104 has a slot 113 therein while the insert 112 has an olT-center threaded opening 11% therein which threadably receives the lower end of bayonet type contact 24. The insert 112 is formed of two halves as shown in FIGURE 4 by virtue of slots 115 and 11d whereby when compression is applied to slot 113 of adapter 104 the insert 112 will press inwardly to hold the lower threads of bayonet contact 22 in rigid ele trical and mechanical engagement.

In assembling the movable bayonet type contact 22 'to the cross bars 24a and 24b, it is now apparent that insert 112 is first put into position with respect to block 194 and the bayonet contact 22 is threaded into oil-center opening 114 of insert 112. Thereafter, the block 1114 is positioned between cross bars 24a and 24b and bolts 107 and 1118 pass through slots,, such as slots 1% and 101 in cross bar 24a of FIGURE 6 and through registering slots in cross bar 24b and through registering slots 105 and 1% in adapter 104. The use of the slotted connection including slots 1%, Trill, 1% and 1% of FIGURES 6 and 7 permits translation of block 1% and thus contact 22 in a direction along the lengths of cross bars 241: and 24b.

Rotation of insert 112. will cause the bayonet contact 22 to be translated upwardly and downwardly in FIG- URE 4 whereby the contact can be accurately located in any specific position in a plane perpendicular to the axis of bayonet contact 22. Once this specific position is obtained and the height of bayonet contact 22 is achieved by properly threading it within insert 112, nuts 109 and 11th are firmly tightened to cause a partial collapse of slot 113 and thus a high compressional force on the slotted insert 112 to cause rigid mechanical engagement between contacts 22 and block 104-. The contact 22 can, therefore, be located in a simplified manner with respect to the stationary contacts of the associated interrupter structure.

Thus, as shown in FIGURE 3, where the casing of interrupter chamber 26 is partially broken away, it is seen that the interrupter chamber contains stationary contacts 118 which receive the movable contact 22. It is essential that the contacts 22 be appropriately aligned with the center of contact 118 for proper operation of the interrupter. By using the novel adapter unit of the present invention, such alignment may be simply and economically achieved as contrasted to prior methods wherein extremely accurate machining was necessary.

Each of the cross bars for the bayonet contacts of each of the phases of the circuit breaker of FIGURES 1 and 2 are then secured to respective lift rods which could be of wood, such as the cross bars 60, 61 and 62 for the upper, middle and lower phase of FIGURE 1.

Cross bar 61 is shown in side view in FIGURE 1. The cross bars 60, 61 and 62 extend through guide structures to be described more fully hereinafter and terminate on an output means operating mechanism 63 (FIGURE 1) of the operating mechanism 64 schematically illustrated in FIGURE 2. Details of this operating mechanism may be had by reference to the above noted copending application Serial No. 67,125. It is sufficient for purposes of the present invention to understand that the operating mechanism will cause lift rods 60, 61 and 62 to move axially from the contact engaged position of FIGURE 1 to a disengaged position whereby lift rods 6%, 61 and 62 are driven downwardly to cause the ends of their bayonet contacts to clear the bottom of their respective interrupter chambers. I

As is well known to those skilled in the art, the interrupter chambers, such as chambers 13, 14, 2t) and 21 of FiG-URE 1 have exhaust ports therein through which oil and gas are vented during interrupting conditions. The direction of this blast is schematically illustrated in FIGURE 2 by the arrows 65, 66, 67, d8, 69 and 70 of ir errupters 13, 1d, 21, 27, 2d and 2%) respectively. The reaction force due to this jet type of action can be substantial and can cause serious deflections of the lower ends of the bushings such as bushings 10, 11, 13 and 19. Such deflections can be sulricient to either seriously damage the bushings or cause enough misalignment between the interrupter chambers and their respective movable bayonet contacts as to cause permanent distortion of the bayonet contacts, destruction of the interrupter chambers and prevention of re-engagernent of the bayonet contacts and their respective interrupters after the circuit breaker is opened. For this reason, it is essential to provide bracing means which will prevent such deiiection.

In accordance with above noted application Serial No. 88,329, a novel bracing arrangement is provided whereby the bushings of each respective phase are positively braced to one another by a non-slip type of connection whereby the equal and opposite reaction forces on each of the interrupters of each phase are contained within this rigid brace to prevent movement of the interrupter structures under interrupting conditions. The bracing structure for each of the phases is shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4 as bracing structure '71 for bushings 18 and 19 which have interrupter structures 29 and 21 terminated thereon. it will be apparent that the remaining two phases will have identical types of bracing structures whereby the end of bushings 1i? and 11 will be braced in exactly the manner to be described hereinafter for bushings 1S and 19, and in a like manner those bushings supporting interrupter chambers 2e and 28 will have an identical positive braced arrangement. Details of the bracing and guiding arrangement may be had by reference to copending application Serial No. 88,829.

In the foregoing, I have described my invention only in connection with preferred embodiments thereof. Many variations and modifications of the principles of my invention within the scope of the description herein are obvious. Accordingly, I prefer to be bound not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a mounting block and a bayonet type contact; said bayonet type contact being movable Within an interrupter chamber; a threaded insert for said mounting block; said mounting block having a threaded opening threadably receiving said threaded insert; said threaded insert having a threaded opening therein; said threaded opening in said-threaded insert receiving one end of said bayonet type contact; the axis of said threaded opening being laterally displaced from the axis of said threaded insert, whereby said bayonet type contact can be laterally adjusted with respect to said mounting block by rotating said insert within said mounting block.

2. In combination, a mounting block, a bayonet type contact movable with respect to an interrupting chamber and an insert member; said mounting block having an opening receiving and supporting said insert member; said vinsert member being rotatable about an axis with respect to said mounting block; said insert member having one i end of said bayonet type contact connected thereto; said bayonet type conact being parallel to said axis; the axis of said bayonet type contact being laterally displaced from said axis; rotation of said insert member causing lateral displacement of said bayonet type contact with respect to said mounting block; and common fastening means operable to rigidly secure said mounting block, insert member, and bayonet contact together.

3. In combination, a mounting block, a bayonet type contact movable with respect to an interrupting chamber and an insert member; said mounting block having an opening receiving and supporting said insert member; said insert member being rotatable about an axis with respect to said mounting block; said insert member having one end of said bayonet type contact connected thereto; said bayonet type contact being parallel to said axis; the axis of said bayonet type contact being laterally displaced from said axis; rotation of said insert member causing lateral displacement of said bayonet type contact With' respect to said mounting block; said mounting block and said insert member being slotted; and fastening means operable to rigidly secure said mounting block, insert member, and bayonet contact, together; said fastening means causing contraction of said slots in said mounting block and said insert member.

4. In combination, a mounting block for a bayonet type contact and a conductive cross bar; said bayonet type contact being connected to said conductive bar by said mounting block; the axis of said bayonet type contact being perpendicular to the axis of said conductive bar; said conductive bar being movable perpendicular to its axis to move said bayonet type contact with respect to the stationary contacts of an interrupting chamber; a threaded insert; said mounting block having a threaded opening receiving said threaded insert; said threaded insert having an opening therein receiving one end of said bayonet type contact; the axis of said opening being laterally displaced from the axis of said threaded insert, whereby said bayonet type contact can be laterally adjusted with respect to said mounting block by rotating said insert Within said mounting block.

5. In combination, a mounting block for a bayonet type contact and a conductive cross bar; said bayonet type contact being connected to said conductive bar by said mounting block; the axis of said bayonet type contact being perpendicular to the axis of said conductive bar; said conductive bar being movable perpendicular to its axis to move said bayonet type contact with respect to the stationary contacts of an interrupting chamber; a threaded insert; said mounting block having athreaded opening receiving said threaded insert; said threaded insert having an opening therein receiving one end of said bay onet type contact; the axis of said opening being laterally displaced from the axis of said threaded insert, whereby said bayonet type contact can be laterally adjusted With respect to saidfmounting block by rotating said insert Within said mounting block; said mounting block being adjustably connected tosaid conductive bar and being adjustably in position along said axis of said conducting bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,046,639 Pierce Dec. 10,1912 2,827,535 Simons Mar. 18 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 601,763 France Dec. 10, 1925 441,992 Germany Mar. 19, 1927 408,893

Great Britain Apr. 19, 1934 

1. IN COMBINATION, A MOUNTING BLOCK AND A BAYONET TYPE CONTACT; SAID BAYONET TYPE CONTACT BEING MOVABLE WITHIN AN INTERRUPTER CHAMBER; A THREADED INSERT FOR SAID MOUNTING BLOCK; SAID MOUNTING BLOCK HAVING A THREADED OPENING THREADABLY RECEIVING SAID THREADED INSERT; SAID THREADED INSERT HAVING A THREADED OPENING THEREIN; SAID THREADED OPENING IN SAID THREADED INSERT RECEIVING ONE END OF SAID BAYONET TYPE CONTACT; THE AXIS OF SAID THREADED OPENING BEING LATERALLY DISPLACED FROM THE AXIS OF SAID THREADED INSERT, WHEREBY SAID BAYONET TYPE CONTACT CAN BE LATERALLY ADJUSTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID MOUNTING BLOCK BY ROTATING SAID INSERT WITHIN SAID MOUNTING BLOCK. 